For the Keeper at Home
Thinking about the Fall Garden { Posted by
HSB Front Porch
}
{ 12:43 PM , Jul. 3, 2009 } { Posted in Homestead Garden and Farm } { 0 comments } { Link } I know, Summer just started, and I'm talking about Fall already! But, in order to have a Fall garden, some things should be done now- planning, ordering seed, planting seeds to transplant into the garden when it is time, adding compost or any other needed soil builders, etc. In my area, July 1 was the suggested date for planting tomato, pepper, and eggplant seed. I'm a few days behind schedule, mainly because I'm trying to keep up with harvesting the tomatoes that are ripening like crazy right now! Most of the Fall planting for my area comes a little later, since July and August are always HOT Many of the same vegetables that grow in the Spring garden can be replanted for Fall, they like the cool weather and will do well if they have time to mature before a frost gets them. You can probably get a list of what grows well in your area in the Fall either online, from a local nursery, or from your County Extension Agent. Here's a little chart to show when the first predicted Fall frost date is: Zone 3 - Sept 1st - 30th If you aren't sure what zone you live in, here's a map that will show you. With that information you can see how long it takes a particular crop to mature and then count backwards to get an estimated planting date. Of course, it all depends on the weather, and it is good to give your plants at least a week or two of a head-start if your area often has early frosts. I live in Zone 8, and sometimes we don't even have a frost until close to Thanksgiving. Fall is a great time for growing here. Please share what you grow in your Fall garden and any tips you have. Those of you who live in colder climates, please share your wisdom, as this Texas gardener has never had to garden where it really gets cold
Hope you have a great holiday weekend, and maybe next week, spend some time planning (and perhaps planting) for the Fall garden!
Blessings, New things in the shop... { Posted by
Chas
}
Some new things have been added to my shop as of this morning... { 09:09 , Friday, July 3, 2009 } { Posted in Notions for Sewing } { 1 comments } { Link } Positively Patriotic Quilted Tote  Simply Beachy And I am working on one now with a vintage flour sack. I think it is going to be adorable! :) Just added! Vintage Flour Sack Bag of Thistles  Thanks for looking and may you have a Fabulous Fourth of July! The Dollar Stretcher"The Homesteading Mindset Anywhere" is my guest Blog for 'The Dollar Stretcher'. Today's topic is a pictorial tutorial about reusing what might look like 'trash'....I think y'all will like it for your homesteading ideas. You can follow my blog here: http://community.stretcher.com/blogs/homesteadmindset/default.aspx If you are not familiar with The Dollar Stretcher - I'd suggest you go check it out. The tips range from directly fiscal repair all the way to saving on weekly menu items. It's wonderful! They even have a newsletter with helpful articles, Just click on the Dollar Strecher's Logo when you go to my blog, for direct links to whata ll else they have to offer. Happy Homesteading! Donna These are the days of the harvest. { Posted by
Mommy of Two Little Blessings
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{ 10:08 AM , Thursday, July 2, 2009 } { 3 comments } { Link } Last night we went out to pick more blueberries. We take both of our children with us so when we go were are there for about fourty-five minutes and get about a bucket full. It's about ten pounds for $20 and the kids get the experiance of picking berries. They may eat more than they put in the bucket and they get time outside with Daddy and Mommy away from the home. We all enjoy our time out in the field. *smile* They do put some berries in the bucket, our two year old daughter puts more green ones in than blue, but she puts some in. *smile/wink* And our four year old son adds a good little bit. *smile* We get the berries home, rince them in a colindar, and spread them out on cookie sheets to freeze. Once they are frozen we put them in gallon sized freezer bags and they are ready for munching or baking. I hope to can some for a couple reasons...I like the look of canned goods the the glass jars, and so they don't take up freezer space. *smile* I have some pictures for your enjoyement now. *smile* Please don't steal my pictures, rather make the time to enjoy them here and leave them. Kind of like a visit to the forest, take out only what you bring in. *smile*
I hope you enjoyed your time at the blueberry patch. It took us four years to find this one and thank the Lord we finally did. There are some others and I am excyted to learn about more. *smile* Have a great day knowing God loves you and remember to pray always. Summer Blessings.-me-(Mommy of two little blessings) Life at ElCloud Homeschool/Homestead this week ...Today the sky is clouded with a soft gray layer, and a gentle rain is falling on the clothes I forgot to remove from the clothes line yesterday. (oh well) Our 23 chickens and 1 guinea hen are also getting a shower, since we still haven't fixed up the coop for them. Since the 13 Ameraucana hens were digging nesting pits in the dirt yesterday, they probably needed the shower anyway. I think the digging means they are about to start laying. I wonder if they will all use the same spot, as our guinea hen usually lays hers in the same location each day. If not, we'll be having daily easter egg hunts with the colorful easter eggs the Ameraucanas lay.I have two boys sleeping on the couches in the living room beside me. They stumbled out earlier, said hi, laid down, and fell asleep again. Molly-dog did the same thing on the floor beside me. Although she didn't say hi. The garden is enjoying the cooler temps and this morning's rain. We planted so many seeds and new plants this past weekend. Some are new to us, and we may be late on others, but it's worth a try. We planted pumpkins, spaghetti squash, zucchini, cantaloupe, watermelon, sweet potatoes, burgundy beans, and tomatoes. We already had wax beans, green beans, lima beans, and potatoes planted. We harvested the last of our peas, and half of our onions. I blanched and froze the shelled peas, but I am still in the process of chopping and freezing the onions. I like doing that, even with store-bought onions, because they are ready to use in many of my dishes. Ahh ... now I am typing around the 3 year old, and she's decided it's time to have a conversation.  She's telling me all about our adult cats, and our baby kittens. Now she's telling me about the baby bunny we rescued from one of our outdoor cats yesterday, and put in a rabbit cage on our porch. I told her that this morning Daddy and I rescued another one, and put it in the cage as well. I guess I'll send children out to pick grass and clover to feed the baby bunnies today. We put lettuce in yesterday, but I remember when we had a house rabbit for awhile that iceberg lettuce isn't really healthy for them. We do have carrots, too. I'm not certain this was wise, but we really couldn't stand by and watch the cat eat baby bunnies. He's supposed to be catching RATS, not bunnies.Speaking of our baby kittens, they are 2.5 weeks old now. Most are doing well, but one is definitely a runt. I should bottle-feed him more often, but I keep forgetting to ... or he gains weight and I hope that he's improving and quit, only to have him slack off again. Melody is a good mama, even though this is her first litter. For the first time in our cattery, we have a waiting list to contact first when they're ready to go to new homes. There is no water running into the house today because the main pipe into the basement started spraying everywhere yesterday. We don't use many cardboard boxes in the basement, but the ones that we do use sit on top of plastic totes since the basement does leak when it rains. Unfortunately if it's raining inside from a spraying pipe, they can still get soaked and ruined. Two chairs, and 4-5 boxes are soaked. We'll see if any of it can be saved or not. I filled pitchers and buckets with water, and if I have to, I can turn the water main back on long enough to re-fill the pitchers. Life will be interesting today, and the laundry will have to wait another day or two. The girls are still excited about their first 4-H judging event yesterday. They took their sewing projects in for judging in the Fiber Arts category. 13 yo A's 9-patch pillow received a blue ribbon. 12 yo R's striped drawstring tote bag also earned a blue ribbon. 10 yo C's watermelon drawstring tote bag earned a red ribbon. If you're not familiar with 4-H ribbons in KS, there is Purple first, then Blue, then Red, and finally White. I'm so used to thinking of blue-ribbon as being first place, that I usually forget that purple is best when we're at the fair. Now that we've been judged once, it's much clearer to me. I won't forget again. Since none of the girls earned purple ribbons, they won't recieve any of the grand champion or reserve champion prizes. But it was a good first year ... and a good first attempt at sewing with their sewing machine. They may not take sewing in 4-H again (they're undecided), but they will continue to sew. 8 yo J will be spending his evenings and weekend finishing his woodworking project with Steve. His judging is on the 7th. As usual, he dislikes the boring work of sanding involved in the project. I told him it was similar to his sisters not liking to iron their seams open or take the time to pin each seam in sewing. But those tedious details make a better finished product. Our 2008-2009 school year is officially finished, but the TOS Homeschool Crew has also officially begun. Our first review curriculum (Grapevine Bible Studies) is shipping, and we'll start that soon. Our school year won't officially start until August 17, but we'll be doing light schoolwork before then. Baby G is awake now, and snuggling in my lap for his morning feeding. He's crawling, pulling up, and cruising along the furniture now. Unfortunately, it also means he sometimes over-reaches and falls down. He has a bruise on his cheek from the coffee table at the moment. But at least he falls over backwards less often. He is our first baby in a non-carpeted house and it was hard to get used to the little bruises on the back of his head when he was learning to sit up. We actually used the boppy pillow with him while he was learning to sit, and I've never used it that way before. The past several weeks Baby G was slowly cutting 3 more teeth, and ended up with an ear infection. They're finally all in, and he finished his antibiotics ... but now he has a summer cold, so he's still miserable at times. More and more of my day lilies are blooming. The fair is early enough this year that I might be able to enter day lilies in the open class flower category. Usually all our flowers are gone when the fair gets here. I'll have to see what is still blooming next week. We don't really have any veggies to enter, and I'm not ready to try to enter our chickens. Maybe next year one of the kids can enter our rooster. I know I'm not practiced enough at bread baking to enter that category, so I may just fall back on my Grandfather-in-law's beautiful choice of day lily varieties he planted and enter those only. Next year we all hope to enter photography. Some of the girls want to pursue it as a project, and I enjoy it, as well. I have a stack of books I'll be reviewing this month and part of next month. And then I really am going to slow down on book reviews. Curriculum reviews will keep me busy enough. I've rambled on long enough, and I can't think of anything else to share ... so it's probably past time for closing this post. This feels like a chatty letter written to my friends, so I'll close with Love, 
Ground Cherry FruitGood morning everyone, I am slowly recovering. I am still not sure what I have. I am using coloidal Silver now and it seems to be helping. I am up and around but on "limited duty" so to speak. I went to two sewing classes this week. I have learned so much! So what if I had to rip out my side seams several times. I had to get the tension set on my new machine and I had to sew straight!! I have never had a problem sewing straight lines before..........hmmmmmm. I learned plenty of things. I am sure the things I learned are so easy for people who already sew. However, they are very exciting to me. I am learning to cut out a pattern, read a pattern and cut out a garment, I am learning how to make a skirt! This one is an A line skirt that includes a waist band, zipper and interfacing. I bought enough material to make a matching shirt. Yesterday, I even learned how to change the foot on my new machine. Today, I must do housework, laundry and make bread. After two days if sewing classes and looking for a new washing machine...........I have things to do. Hubby is off work tomorrow for the holiday . Our family plans to spend the 4th at the lake watching the fireworks display as we always do. Here are the promised pictures of the ground cherries. They are quite tasty! They have a mild tropical flavor. May the Lord bless and keep you each and every one!  As you can see they come in husks much like tomatillos.  Even though the picture is blurry, you can still get an idea of the size. These were gathered wild and used by the pilgrims to make pies and jams and for fresh eating.
Snagglepuss { Posted by
Chas
}
Snagglepuss is a term of endearment that I use to anyone that I love who has lost baby teeth...{ 07:29 , Thursday, July 2, 2009 } { Posted in Being a Moma } { 4 comments } { Link } Yesterday afternoon. I had two first time snagglepusses  By the end of the evening... these two (Carlie Jean and Eli) had lost TWO of their front two bottom teeth and Cameo lost one of her eye teeth. :) What a fun evening. Roses For Momma { Posted by
Mommy of Two Little Blessings
}
{ 7:49 PM , Wednesday, July 1, 2009 } { 1 comments } { Link } Good evening. I just had to share with you that today I got the most precious gift! Both of our children were getting into the rose bed and picked these for me. *smile*
Our four year old son got a bit of stem with his so they are in the vase and our two year old daughter got pettles no matter how hard she tried to get a bit of stem. *smile* I have them in a spot where I can enjoy them from the kitchen and the family room. What a blessing to have two little ones to brighten up a very busy day! *smile* Remember that Wednesday I do the sheets on the beds (ours are still in the dryer and on the line *smile*) and I clean the bathrooms. Well, today I decided I would tackle the windows, inside and out. They had gotten pretty bad with all the wind and dust around here so I got busy pretty earily. The job doesn't take long but it does take time. While I did the outside of the windows on the back of the house I let the kids play in the mud at the edge of the garden. *smile* Then I let them play outside while I cleaned the inside of the main window that gives me a full view of the back yard. So I was able to keep an eye on them while I cleaned. While I cleaned the windows on the front of the house they played in their rooms, again I was able to keep an eye on them because I was cleaning the WINDOWS. *big smile* I need to get going as my beloved is on his way home now and we are going to go pick some more blue berries. I hope to can them tomarrow. *smile* This whole, fresh berries thing is GREAT! I am so excyted we found a blueberry patch around here! *smile* In case you think I have all my stuff in order, I have two loads of lundry on the line, some of our bedding included. *smile* I have a load of laundry in my husband's chair that needs to be folded and put away, and I have a load in the wash, one in the dryer, as well as two more in the hamper. The dishwasher is full of clean dishes and I have had a little head ache most all the afternoon. So, I am excyted about what I was able to get done, but please don't think I am "perfect" rather join in my pleasure of receiving such a pleasent gift from our two little blessings. *smile* Have a great evening with your family no matter the size. *smile* Remember to pray always. Summer Blessings.-me-(Mommy of two little blessings) Excellent Home Making Article { Posted by
HSB Front Porch
}
{ 03:07 PM , Jul. 1, 2009 } { Posted in Homemaking } { 3 comments } { Link } When I read the following excerpt from Managing A Home by Crystal Miller in the Homestead Happenings newsletter this morning, I just had to e-mail her and ask permission to post it here on the Front Porch. Some of our new bloggers may not be familiar with Crystal's newletter or her Country Store, and I don't want anyone to miss out on the blessing of what she has to offer! The article spoke to my home-maker's heart and was both an encouragement and a reminder that I need to be diligent in caring for my home and family. Hope you enjoy the article as much as I did. Blessings,
Home Management and Making a Home
I'm Back.......Good morning everyonem I am better. I am still struggling but I am better. Our garden is still struggling too. We received 1/4 inch of rain. We need much more. Please Lord! We picked 1/2 bushel of green beans, a bag full of cucumbers and some squash. We are getting few huckleberies, ground cherries and the first of our red currant and Mattls Willd Cherry Tomatos! We are picking a few banana peppers and cayenne peppers.. I do not believe we will get any sweet corn. The wind broke alot of the field corn so if we get any it will be very little. We are picking lots of purple hull peas. The okra has bloomed. The Jalopeno and bell peppers should begin coming in today or tomorrow. Everything is really slow because of the heat and lack of rain. I am very thankful and downright grateful for the produce God is giving us. He has answered so many of our prayers. A) I havelearned an awful lot so far B) He has sent rain C)We are getting some produce D) God sent the bees to pollinate E)He gave us the strength and motivation to dig up the yard and start raising food! There are many more prayers He has answered! God is so good! I went to my first sewing class yesterday. It was a makeup class. I was too sick to care last week. I got my skirt cut out and the side seams sewn. Today I have another class. I am so blessed to be able to take these classes. Well, thats all I have time for this morning. I am off to my sewing class in a few minutes. I will post a picture of the ground cherries later this afternnon, God willing! They taste good and are so unusual! May the Lord of all creation bless you today as you seek His precious face! { Last Page } { Page 1 of 5 } { Next Page } |
. The bulk of planting comes from September to November. But, if I don't at least make a plan now and make sure I have seeds ready, I may miss my planting date when it arrives. 
Everything is so much easier when you have someone to show you and let you just "do it".
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